


forever and always

by AngstBabyJae



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Underage Sex, Light Angst, Non-Sexual Praise, Pre-Canon, Self-Harm, Sleepy Cuddles, and they were girlfriends, but like not much at all, catra can sing but adora can't, i can't even with how in love they are, lots of "i love you"'s, star-gazing without stars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-27
Updated: 2019-08-27
Packaged: 2020-09-27 19:46:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20413300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngstBabyJae/pseuds/AngstBabyJae
Summary: Catra arrives late to bed because of one of Shadow Weaver's punishments. As always, Adora is there for her.





	forever and always

**Author's Note:**

> I headcanon them as 19 in-show, so this is about three years before the pilot.

With each step back to the barracks Catra could feel herself unraveling. Breaking apart. Unable to control the flow of tears.

It was the middle of the night. The mechanical hum of the Fright Zone seemed magnified by the silence.

Shadow Weaver had not shown her mercy. The sixteen-year-old had stolen some shitty rum from the kitchens to split with her best friend. At least Shadow Weaver didn’t know that Adora was involved. Then she wouldn’t have been able come back at all.

She dug her claws into her palms. She tried to remind herself that Adora loved her. Adora _loved_ her.

_“You’re unlovable, child. Always have been, always will be,”___

_She loves me._

__

_She loves me._

_She loves me._

__

__

_ _No matter how many times she told herself she couldn’t fully believe it. She opened the door to the barracks as quietly as she could and ran swiftly to her bunk, climbing up in one bound. She wanted nothing more than to curl up with Adora. To have her love the bad stuff away. She pulled the blanket over her and sobbed into her pillow._ _

_ _“Catra?”_ _

_ _She whimpered._ _

_ _“Catra, do you want to-?”_ _

_ _In a flash she was in Adora’s bunk, nudging her adamantly with her head. Adora pulled her closer and tucked her under the blanket. She reached up to pet her firmly behind the ears. A choked purr took over Catra’s body as she snuggled in tighter, burying her head in Adora’s shoulder._ _

_ _“What do you need, Catra?” she whispered._ _

_ _“P-please… Just k-keep holding me,”_ _

_ _“Do you want to tell me what happened?”_ _

_ _Catra shook her head. It was always the same answer._ _

_ _Adora touched her head to Catra’s before kissing the salty tears from her eyes._ _

_ _“You’re so beautiful, Catra,” she whispered in her ear. Catra blushed deeply and licked Adora’s cheek, “You’re so much smarter than me… you always know what to do. We can’t make it without you. I can’t make it without you,” Catra sighed against her, “You’re so fast. No one is faster than you. You’re perfect,” Catra shivered. No one has ever called her perfect. Not even when they’re like this. When Catra’s desperate for reassurance in the dead of night clinging to the girl she loves for dear life after Shadow Weaver hurts her, “I love you, Catra. I love you so much… so, so much, Catra…”_ _

_She loves me…_

_ _Adora held Catra’s face in her hands, framing it in the dark. She had memorized its features and though she couldn’t see with the lack of light, she knew by heart the person above her. Catra could see everything. She blinked at the girl below her, slowly with hooded eyelids, declaring her love for her in a way only she knows. At long last she lowered herself onto Adora’s lips, drinking in her sweet taste that was so distinctly Adora._ _

_ _She melted into her, consuming her. Adora ran her fingers through the wild hair, making Catra purr even harder. Catra nipped softly at the other girl’s bottom lip, careful not to draw blood. After she pulled away for air she immediately sought those lips again. She could feel Adora’s tongue requesting it’s entrance, which she was eagerly obliged to accept._ _

_ _“Hey,” Adora whispered, the sudden lack of pressure disorienting her partner, “Do you wanna get out of here?”_ _

_ _There was a certain lure in the danger that Catra couldn’t resist. But as much as she wanted Adora’s loving touches she just wanted to be close to her tonight. To talk and to laugh. To not only be together, but to just be, together._ _

_ _“Okay, but I don’t want to…” her face heated crimson, “do anything tonight. I just want to talk,”_ _

_ _“Are you finally going to tell me what happened with her? It’s okay if you don’t want to… I’m just really worried,”_ _

_ _“Don’t be. I can take care of myself,”_ _

_ _“I know you can, I just… I can’t help it. You’re so important to me, Catra,”_ _

_ _“You’re important to me, too,”_ _

_More than you could ever know._

_ _They tip-toed out of bed. Catra guided Adora through the dark, keeping an eye on the sleeping junior cadets._ _

_ _When they got to their usual spot on the roof they looked up at the empty sky. Adora couldn’t help but think there was something missing._ _

_ _“I just feel like there’s something supposed to be here, you know?”_ _

_ _“Not really, but I guess it would be cool if the sky wasn’t so boring. There’s a lot of empty space up there,”_ _

_ _“Yeah… there is…”_ _

_ _“What did these ‘stars’ you keep dreaming about look like?”_ _

_ _“Like an infinite amount of shiny dots all over,”_ _

_ _“Shiny dots? Just painted up there?”_ _

_ _“I don’t think they were painted. I think they… represent something. Something far away,”_ _

_ _“Huh,”_ _

_ _“And they made patterns. Patterns like writing, patterns like pictures. So in a way I guess they were painted,”_ _

_ _“If I could paint the sky, I would write ‘Shadow Weaver eats princess ass’ right across there,” she pointed upwards._ _

_ _Adora giggled and nudged her. Catra nudged her back._ _

_ _“Well, I would write ‘Catra and Adora, rulers of Etheria’!” she noticed the doubtful look in Catra’s eyes, “We’re going to make it, Catra. And we’re going to do it together. She won’t hurt you anymore, we’ll be free,”_ _

_ _Catra nodded, “Yeah, you and I. Forever and always,”_ _

_ _“Forever and always. I promise,”_ _

_ _Their hands inched slowly closer before they intertwined. Adora lifted it to her mouth and kissed it._ _

_ _“Ew, you gross sap,” their laughs rang out in the night until they remembered their place and silenced._ _

_ _“Speaking of gross, did you hear what happened to that girl from squad 642?”_ _

_ _“What happened?”_ _

_ _“Heard she got kicked from service because she was…” she lowered her voice dramatically, “Pregnant!”_ _

_ _“Pregnant?”_ _

_ _“Like, expecting a baby,”_ _

_ _“Aren’t you only supposed to do that if Hordak commands you to? To add to the empire or whatever?”_ _

_ _“Well, you know teens,” Adora gave an off impression of Shadow Weaver, “’They never listen!’” _ _

_ _“Must suck liking people with dicks,”_ _

“Yeah, it must _suck!_” she giggled stupidly at her own joke. 

_ _“You’re not funny, Adora. Only I can pull off those jokes,” she laughed anyways. Adora was such a goofball._ _

_ _“You’re not the only one who can be dirty-minded, I’m not some innocent flower Shadow Weaver makes me out to be!”_ _

_ _“According to her I am the only one. The only one who gets punished for it anyways…”_ _

_ _“Is that why you were with her tonight?”_ _

_ _“Naw. This time it was for that alcohol we stole,”_ _

_ _Adora’s eyes went wide, “Catra, I’m so sorry!”_ _

_ _“Its fine, Adora, really, it’s not your fault. It was my idea anyways,”_ _

_ _“But I encouraged it,”_ _

_ _“You’re not responsible for what I do,”_ _

_ _Adora was about to argue, but let the subject go._ _

_ _“We should get back,”_ _

_ _“Yeah, we should, but I don’t want to. Not yet. I’d sleep out here if the early watch wasn’t positioned so close. I can just imagine the kind of headache it would be having to deal with Shadow Weaver so early in the damn morning,”_ _

_ _“So, we’ll stay here. For a little bit more, at least. Are you sure you don’t wanna-“_ _

_ _“I’m sure. Just not in the mood, I guess,”_ _

_ _“That’s a first,”_ _

_ _Catra reddened once more._ _

_ _“Are you calling me horny?”_ _

_ _“Well…”_ _

“I can’t exactly control it, Adora! Besides, you are _way_ worse than me,” 

_ _“Am not!”_ _

_ _“Aw, look how red you are!” she ran her thumb over the blushing blonde’s lip, “You’re just insatiable, aren’t you…”_ _

_ _“Ugh, stop it! I know what you’re doing,”_ _

_ _“Are you going to stop me?” she wiggled her eyebrows, coaxing another giggle from Adora._ _

_ _She leaned over and kissed her hard._ _

_ _“Shut up,”_ _

_ _“Alright, alright, I’ll stop…”_ _

_ _Their attention turned once again to the sky, hands still intertwined._ _

_ _Catra could close her eyes and imagine the two of them painted across that infinite blank canvas in shiny dots. Happy. Free._ _

_ _She was pulled out of the fantasy by the sound of off-pitch humming from her companion. The humming turned into soft singing. The Horde national anthem._ _

_ _“Stop, stop! My ears are bleeding!” she actually found it kind of cute._ _

_ _“I’d like to see you do better,”_ _

_ _“Maybe I will…”_ _

_ _Adora almost couldn’t believe the sweet sounds that came from Catra next weren't from her imagination._ _

Anyone could sing, but Catra? Catra could _sing._

_ _It stirred something inside her. Inside them both. It made them want to fight for justice and conquer in the name of their great army. Their great leader. When Catra finished, Adora could only stare in silence._ _

_ _“What? Was I really that bad?”_ _

_ _Adora quickly shook her head, mouth still gaping._ _

_ _“Uh, Adora, I think you’re drooling a bit,”_ _

_ _“Catra, you’re amazing,”_ _

_ _“R-really?” it came out tiny and squeaking._ _

_ _“Why don’t you sing more often?”_ _

_ _“I don’t people want thinking I’m soft,”_ _

_ _“No one thinks you’re soft…”_ _

_ _“You do. I can see it on your face,”_ _

_ _“Of course not, Catra! You’re so tough and brave. So determined. I could never measure up to that,”_ _

_ _Catra’s heart pounded, “You really think so?”_ _

_ _“Duh,”_ _

_ _“Adora?”_ _

_ _“Yeah,”_ _

_ _“I love you,”_ _

_ _“I know, goofus. I love you,”_ _

_ _Back in the barracks, Catra settled down at her usual spot at the foot of Adora’s bed._ _

_ _“Do you want to sleep next to me?”_ _

_ _“Alright,” she accepted a little too eagerly, “It’s not as comfortable as down here, but you somehow make it worth it,”_ _

_ _“Who’s the sap now?”_ _

_ _“Shut up, you dumb jock,”_ _

_ _“Whatever you say,”_ _

_ _Catra cuddled in, entangling their legs and burrowing closer._ _

_ _“Goodnight, Catra. Love you,” she yawned, kissing her on the head before drifting from consciousness._ _

_ _“Goodnight, Adora,” Catra smiled, “Love you more…”_ _


End file.
